Method and means for fastening bands about bales or the like



Nov. 25, 1930. c. B. FRosT 1,782,465

METHOD AND MEANS FOR FASTENING BANDS ABOUT BALES OR THE LIKE Filed Nov. 1, 1929 ing effect.

Patented Nov. 25, 1930 units!) 1 STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE B. rnos'r, or CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS METHOD AND vrnnns non rnsrnmue BANDS ABOUT BALES on THE LIKE Application filed November 1, 1929. Serial 404,686.

This invention relates to improved methods' and means for fastening a band about a bale or the like. t j

' "For many years it has been thepractice to 6 reinforce bales, boxes and other packages by Wrapping metallic bands about them. These bands must obviously be strong enough to perform their function and withstand the unavoidable rough usage incident to han- 101dling and transportation andyet it is highly desirable that these bands be very thin, light in weight, and lie as close as possible to the i 3 tained so far'as the'band itself is concerned,

t is still somewhat of a problem tofasten the ends of each band together so that-the joint will be no weaker than the band itself and so that this joint will not project or stand out appreciablyfrom the surface of the package. It'has been customary .tooverla'p the "band ends and bind-them together either by material deformation or, crimping of the band, or actually cutting it and piercing it so that a rib or tongue on one band end will be forced into anot'ch or hole in the other. Frequently some sort of a seal or reinforcing girth is addedl being in some manner laid over the overlapped ends of the band'and simultaneously crimped, cut or deformed with ;theml Where the bands ends are thus sharply bent or crimped, its normal tensile strength is necessarily reduced, and even when this is partly compen 49 sated for by the added strength of a seal, the

joint as a wholeisiin most. cases weaker than the undisturbed portion: of the band and is onsiderably thicker than the band itself and stands out from the surfaceofthe package causing diflicultyin the piling of thefpackages evenly. Moreover-any projecting joint is always a source of danger in the handling because itmay be struck and broken. or may catch on other bales and boxes with damagmight tend to disturb it.

It is among the objects of this invention to provide for the fastening of band ends in such manner and by such means that the tensile strength of theband will in no wise be impaired. Quite to the contrary it is a feature of the invention} that the joint of the band ends is really stronger than the band itself and yet scarcely thicker,- it being a dis tinct accomplishment of this invention that the finished joint does not stand out from the surface ofthe package to an extent appreciably greater than the band itself. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a seal whichis extremely simple both as respects its make-up and its application and yeteflective to serve its purpose.

The present invention provides for the interlocking of the band ends together in such manner that the pull will for the most part -be absorbed by the band itself and only a small component of this pull beimpose'd upon the, seal thus enabling thelatter to be appliedl'efasily and quickly. A further feature isfound in the novel manner in which the'stra'p ends are bent to guard agalnst any breaking of the strap or any inadvertent catching of the joint on anythingwhich These objects and the features which characterize this invention are attained by formingthe band ends into hook-shape, each end rolled bend, as distinguished from a sharp bend or CI'G&S,SO that'the band is in no wise weakened or in danger ofbreaking where the loop occurs. These hooked ends are then in terlocked so that one resists the pull of the other, such pull for the most part being entire ly absorbed by the band with but a slight component of this pull tendingto unfold the respective loops. This tendency is entirely overcome by the novel seal of llllGflIlVGIltlOIl which in its simplest form may have apflat plate portion aswide in one direction as the width of the band and aslong in the other direction as the distance" between the gentle being looped back upon itself by a gentle or i folds of the band: ends. At the edges of the plate portion are two depending flanges each ofwhich extends, atan obtuse angle to the plate portionbut one of which", in the preferred form, is also bent under slightly so as to hook about the edge of the interlocked band ends. The bottom edge of each flange portion is turned inward slightly so that when the flange portion is finally pressed toward the band ends, there will be a tight engagement of the turned-in edge with the bottom surface of the lower or inner band end. The seal is applied by simply placing it over the interlocked ends between their respective loops, being applied perpendicularly thereto if both flanges are of the same shape, or being applied at an angle, if one flange is bent inward, so that this bent flange may pass down by the edges of the interlocked ends and, with these edges serving as an axis, enable the seal to be turned about the interlocked ends so that the other flange slips by the other edges of the ends until the plate portion of the seal lies flat on the interlocked ends between these respective loops. The flange portions of the seal are then fully turned under the inte locked ends and pressed against the lower or inner surface thereof, the flange portions nesting between the loops or bends on the under side as does the plate portion of the seal on the upper side. Accordingly the seal can not possibly slip along the band or be disturbed by anything coming into contact with the joint for the loops or bends of the band protect the seal from being caught. Moreover loops of the joint are also protected by bending the band adjacent thereto so that it will serve as a sort of shield. And withal, the joint is unusually thin and does not bulge or project outward appreciably from the surface of the package.

It is intended that the patent shall cover by suitable expression in the appended claims whatever features of patentable novelty exist in the invention disclosed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective of the ends of a band in position to be joined together;

Figure 2 is a side View showing how the ends are bent into hook-shape;

Figure 3 is a side view showing the hook ends interlocked together;

Figure 4: is a perspective, on enlarged scale of a seal;

Figure 5 is a similar view of the preferred form of seal;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional View showing the seal applied to the interlocked band ends;

Figure 7 is a perspective of the bands ends and seal as they appear in the finished joint; and r Figure 8 is a cross-section as on line 8-8 of Figure 7.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the band A. may be assumed to have been wrapped about a package, and cut ofl leaving its two ends a and a in overlapped relation. This amount of overlap is fixed,

being determined by the size of joint desired. Each band end is then folded back upon itself into hook-shape as seen in Figure 2. This folding is not a sharp bending of the band as this would tend to weaken the band at the bend. On the contrary the ends are folded in such manner that a distinct cross-wise loop a a'* is formed at each end. The hooked-ends are then engaged as seen in Figure 3 with the folded-over portion of one end extended between the folded portion of the other andthe other band.

The seal C of the invention is an extremely simple one, and may be formed from a piece of the band material. It is simply bent to form two depending flanges C and G which as seen in Figure 4 are each at an obtuse angle to the plate portion C In Figure 5 the seal is shown with one flange C bent somewhat under the plate portion. The bottom edge C of each flange portion is turned inward slightly so that when the flange is finally pressed against the under or inner surface of the hand, these turned-in edges will lie snugly against said surface. The plate portion C between the flanges is as wide as the band, and in the other direction is as long as the distance between the loops a and a when the band ends are together as in Figure 6.

The seal C of Figure 4 is applied to the interlocked band ends by merely placing it thereover, the space between the turned in edges C being as great as the band in width. When a seal like that shown in Figure 5 is used, the bent-under flange C is first applied to one edge of the interlocked band ends and then. with this edge resting in the crotch of the flange, the seal is turned downward toward the band until the plate portion C rests on the top layer of band ends and the flange C extends down by the opposite edge of the interlocked ends. iVhen thus positioned, pressure is applied to the plate portion to squeeze the interlocked ends tightly together and the flanges C and C or C and C are then bent inwardly and upwardly against the outerlocked ends with some constrictive p1 .f' sure at their edges to seal the interlocked ends firmly together. Pref rably at the same time pressure is also imposed upon the band to bend the upper layer around the loop or. so as to take the shape seen at a in Figures ('3 and 7. Similarly the lower layer is bent upward about the loop (L3 at a in Figures 6 and 7.

The bending of the band about the loop a is to protect the edge of the seal against anything catching upon it, it being evident that anything slidin along the ban d, as from the left in Figure 6 will be deflected by the bend a so as to pass easily over the joint. Likewi anything slidingalone; the band as from the right in Figure 6 will be similarly (leflected by the band and loop a so as to pass ill!) llO over the seal and not disturb the joint. Thus the seal is protected by the loops a and a together with the bends a and a in the band, the latter asit Were'being somewhat defined by the shape of the loops.

The bends a and a in the band also serve another purpose, for they enable the band to give slightly in case of any inadvertent pull upon it and thus cushion the direct pull on the oint. The yielding action of the bends a and a is also to a degree augmented by the slight yielding of the loops a and a if necessary, so that beforethe force of any unexpected pull is transmitted to the seal it i ,5 Will have been materially absorbed. Thus very little strain is placed upon the seal under the worst conditions and under normal conditions it has to resist only a very slightcomponent of the pull on the band, being that tendency of the interlocked endsto swing open. This at most is small as the greater part of the pull of one band end is counterbalanced by the pull of the other band end. Since the seal is nested between the loops and bends of the band ends, it can not itself slide out of position, and, as before stated, is protected against being struck and moved by anything coming in contact with the package. I

It is to be noted that the method of interlocking and sealing the band ends according to this invention, inno wayweakens the tensile strength of the band ends but leaves them at full strength. In the drawings, for clearness, the thickness of the band and the joint are somewhat exaggerated andyet even as drawn, the characteristic feature of the thin flat joint is appreciated.

I claim: 7

1. The method of fastening a band about a bale or the like which comprises placing the band about the bale with its ends overlapping; bending each end into hook-shape with the bend extending outside of the plane of the band; interlocking said hooked-shape ends together; placing over said interlocked end a seal with its flat top plate portion between the respective bends of'the band ends,

and with its depending flangesextending beside the hooked ends; followed by-the pressing of said flanges under the hooked ends to clamp said ends together. a

2. The method of fastening a band about a baleor the like which comprises placing the band about thebale with its ends overlapping; bending each band end back upon itself so as to form a transverse crest across each band at the place of bending with the crest of greater thickness than the thickness of the band; interlocking said bent ends together;

and placing aseal, about said ends between the said crests to bind said band ends to gether; a j

8. The method of fastening a band about a bale or the like which comprises placing substantially shield for the seal. t

9. A seal for interlocked band ends com- I the band about the balewith its ends overlapping; bending each band end back upon itself so as to form a transverse outstanding crest across each band at the place of bending; interlocking said bent ends together; and placing a seal about said ends between the and then deforming each band end adjacent the bend of the other band end to conform to the shape of said bends.

4. The method offastening a band about a bale or the like which comprises placing theband about the bale with its ends overlap-' ping; bending the end of each band end back 7 upon itself by a rolled bend to form a transverse loop which upstands from the plainof the band; interlocking said bent ends to-.

said crests tobind saidband ends together; i

gether; andplacing a seal transversely about i the interlocked-ends with its upper surface in the plain defined by the tops of said loops. f

5. Thecombination with a band having its ends bent into hook-shape and hooked together, of a seal having I a plate portion adapted to lie acrossl said hooked ends between therespective bends thereof, and having depending fiangesadapted to be wrapped about the edges of saidhooked ends with constrictive elfect to hold them together. a

i 6. A band for a bale or the like having each of its ends bent back upon itself to form a hook, with the bend of each end constituting a transverse ridge across the band; and a seal adapted to be bent transversely around said ends when the latter are hooked together; the

said seal lying between the said ridges and being thereby protected against displacement. i

7. A band fora bale or the like comprising a hook shaped portion at each end engag 1 ing between said upstanding bends and exten-ding across the band and having flange portions wrapped around the side edges of said hook-shaped portions and partly underlying them; each band being further bent to follow the configuration of the upstanding bend of the other so as to constitute a prising a flat plate portion adapted to extend across the interlocked endsand two flange portions extending at obtuse angles to said plate portion and adapted to pass by the edges of said interlocked ends as the seal is applied thereto and to be then bent under the said ends with constrictive pressureagainst the side edges thereof.

10. A seal for interlocked band ends comprising a flat plate portion adapted to extend across the interlocked ends; a flange depending from one edge of the plate portion, being bent thereunder so as to hook around the edges of said interlocked ends when applied; a flange depending from the opposite edge of the plate portion at an angle thereto so as to pass by the edges of the interlocked ends as the seal is swung around the opposite edges of the ends as an axis; both said flanges being adapted to be tucked under the interlocked ends to bind them together.

11. A seal for interlocking band ends comprising a flat plate portion adapted to extend across the interlocked ends having a flange depending from opposite edges thereof at an obtuse angle thereto; the bottom edges of each flange being turned inward whereby upon the said flanges being bent toward the bottom surface of said interlocked band ends, the said turned-in flange edges Will be tight there-against.

Signed at Boston, Massachusetts, this 15th day of October, 1929.

CLARENCE B. FROST. 

